Return to Bait WrX – October 2022

Just like last year’s trip to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame induction dinner, my first stop this year after the rental car counter was not lunch, or Andy’s Custard or even the BPS mothership, but rather the nearby Bait WrX tackle shop. I probably would have chosen that route anyway, but at the recent Swimbait Universe Gathering, F5 Rods owner Brad Vanderpool asked if I’d ever been there. When I responded that I’d visited in October of 2021, he replied, “You need to go back. It has changed a lot since then.”

Challenge accepted, my friend.

I pulled up to the front door at about 1pm, stomach growling but with more important things on my mind.

Was there an immediately noticeable difference? Probably not, but it quickly became apparent that the selection on the shelves and slatwall was even more comprehensive, and there’s more still to come. There’s not a whole lot that I can add to last year’s “review,” but here are a few notes:

Regional Gear is Key

In the modern era, it’s harder to surprise any of us with new gear or new techniques – by the time we read about it or see it on television it’s generally already on its way to Tackle Warehouse and other major retailers. While I use plenty of Senkos and Power Worms, I didn’t need to go to Missouri to see those. At a shop like Bait WrX I want to see the items that region is known for – and in the Ozarks that means custom-painted Wiggle Warts (and Wart imitations), jerkbaits and football jigs. In the jig category they had not only a number of brands I’d never heard of, but also signature Dion Hibdon and Randy Blaukat models. I ended up buying products from Crock-O-Gator, Tackle HD, and a Nichols Spinnerbait that I’d never seen before, primarily because I otherwise can’t put my eyes or my grubby paws on them to see what they’re all about.

Mega Selection

The shop’s Megabass selection remains exceptional. Of course I’ve seen and fished Magdrafts and Vision 110s and Giant Dog X topwaters before, so those were no surprises, but now I have a better sense of what some of the big baits like the Vatalion and the Big-M series look like up close. That’s valuable before spending $25-100 on a lure. They also have a lot of the Megabass rods in stock – again, a huge value if you want to check them out before ponying up the credit card.

Swim on In

Swimbait culture and acceptance continues to grow, and while I didn’t see any of the KGB Chad Shads that I’d first spied there last year, there was plenty of other evidence that people in the Ozarks (and online) are moving solidly toward big baits.

Supply Chain Getting Better?

Not only is Bait WrX the cleanest, neatest, best organized tackle shop I’ve ever been in, but they were remarkably well-stocked. I hope this is a sign that the product shortages that plagued us during the height of COVID are over. There were very few empty pegs – in fact, there were more that were full than slightly full or empty. It wasn’t because there was no business. On the contrary, on a random October Wednesday at midday, there were at least a dozen in-person purchases during the less-than-an-hour I spent there.

Still About Service

One of the products I’d been most excited to see was the new Crock o Gator X-Toad, a soft buzz toad that has a unique way to rig a trailer hook without impeding the lure’s action. When I got to the shop there were only a couple of packs of either yellow or gray toads on the wall. I asked if they were planning to get in any in black or white. The gentleman behind the counter told me that if I could wait they’d have them. I figured that meant days or weeks, when he actually meant minutes. He’d noted that they’d gotten some in the day before, but they were in a warehouse a quarter mile away. Fifteen minutes later he’d made the trek – for a measly two packs of toads. I really appreciated that.

I won’t be back next October – but that’s only because the Hall of Fame is hosting the 2023 dinner in September. Fire up your credit cards.